The Grand Hall never failed to impress both Mika and Matti; it was one of the largest rooms either of them had ever seen and it was so long that they didn't think it actually had an end. However, as grand as the Grand Hall was to them both, it was the delicious food and drink that was available all day and in any amount that kept them both coming back - Mika had teased Matti in the beginning because the little magpie had become quite plump and was having trouble getting off the ground when trying to fly.

"The usual, Matti?" asked Mimi, the head chef. Matti grinned as Mimi handed him one large mug of hot chocolate with cream and chocolate sprinkles, plus a plate with two thick chocolate cookies with extra chocolate chips. "I'll have a couple of carrots and a bowl of water, please, Mimi. Some of us like to eat a little healthier than somebody we know!" Matti didn't hear Mika's comment as he was busily devouring the first of his two cookies.

"It certainly is busier this year," commented Mika, "I hope everything will be ready on time or I'd hate to imagine what will happen to all of those boys and girls." Matti was licking the chocolate crumbs from his claws, "Yeah, well it would never have happened if somebody we know wasn't too old for the job!" All of the elves sat near Matti stopped eating and drinking to turn to stare at the magpie because they couldn't believe what he had just said.

"Matti, have you gone totally crazy?" asked the moose, who was feeling very embarrassed, "Have you forgotten where you are?" The small magpie looked back at his friend in confusion, "What do you mean? Of course I know where I am! This is the Grand Hall in Santa's Toy Factory where the toys for all of the world's children are made in time for Christmas, but…" Matti paused and then said a little louder just to make sure that everybody heard him, "we might not be ready this years because we are still making toys 23 days from Christmas Eve! Yes, sir! 23 days and we still have to wrap them and load the sledge. It is crazy!"

Obviously the small magpie was feeling the rebel inside of him and had misinterpreted the silence has people agreeing with what he was saying, so he flew up and landed on the head of Santa's statue and began to address his audience, "Yes sir, what we are missing here is some kind of programme, but I have the feeling that now is almost too late!" The poor moose didn’t know what to do and because of his size it was not easy to hide. The Grand Hall was silent, except for Matti who continued to talk, and all the elves and all the dwarfs were staring at them both - some in disbelief over Matti's words and others expecting Mika to shut him up, but, as we all know, nothing could stop the little black and white bird!

"Right! I think what we need is some kind of change of command, somebody who can really make things work, somebody who has the spirit to organise and schedule things, somebody like…" Just as the magpie was about to finish what he was saying he lost his balance and began to fall from the top of Santa's statue and because he had eaten a few too many cookies he was unable to stop his tumble. Matti's fall ended in his own large mug of hot chocolate that still sat on the table and the splash sent cream everywhere.

Matti pulled himself out of the mug and hopped on to the table. He was covered in cream and looked like, well, a hot chocolate with wings! All the elves and all the dwarves began to giggle, then laugh, then guffaw until they finally collapsed on the floor with tears of laughter streaming down their rosy cheeks, even Mika couldn't help laughing and also feeling relieved that Matti hadn't finished his crazy speech from on top of the statue. Matti wasn't laughing and just wanted to escape from the Grand Hall quickly, but the cream had stuck his feathers together so he was unable to fly; poor Matti had to walk past all of the laughing elves and gnomes leaving a trail of creamy footprints behind him and, worst of all, he hadn't eaten his second cookie.